After the recent conflict between Israel and Gaza, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has outlined key elements necessary for creating lasting peace and security in the region. He emphasized that neither Israel nor Hamas should run Gaza after the conflict and highlighted the need to prevent forcible displacement of Palestinians, use of Gaza for terrorism, and reoccupation of the territory. Blinken also warned against any attempt to blockade or reduce the territory of Gaza. He reiterated the US stance that Gaza cannot be governed by Hamas and expressed the need for a transition period at the end of the conflict. In response, Hamas reaffirmed that Gaza’s governance is a purely Palestinian affair and that no force can change this reality. Hamas asserted its right to resist the occupation and emphasized its integral role in the Palestinian people’s struggle for liberation.